A FORMER Scout leader has secured a £2,800 out-of- court settlement after claiming she was forced to fund activities out of her own pocket.

Laura Clark, 24, from Shoebury, helped set up the Triton Explorer Scout Unit in March 2006, which was attached to the 3rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scouts.

The groups later split up. Miss Clark says she was not given any money to run the explorer group for more than a year, and had to pay for equipment herself.

Miss Clark, who was the Triton unit leader, said: “I didn’t want to let the children who were still with the unit down, so I paid for things out of my own pocket.

“I just hoped the money would come along, but it never did. We never got a penny. We did not get any of the money that was owed to us from subs, fees and fundraising.

“We had to pay £2,800 out of our own pocket for things like camping. The district commissioner said it was my responsibility to get the money from Chalkwell Bay.”

Together with her dad, who refused to be named, she took the Southend West District Scouts to county court to claim back the money she said she was owed.

The case was settled out of court when she was paid £2,800.

A letter seen by the Echo from solicitors confirms a £2,800 settlement against Southend West District Executive Committee.

Andrew Thorp, a spokesman for the Scout Association, said: “I have been informed after the internal processes were completed it was agreed the details would remain private.

“For this reason, it would be inappropriate to comment further at the current time.”